The Awful Truth of Loving
by SwimmrGirl101
Summary: Sequel to Cold as a Stone. Draco discovers a shocking secret about Ginny's new boyfriend. Will he be able to save her before it's too late? DG
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: We own nothing but our plotline, sadly.**

You guys are probably wondering what the hell inspired us to write a sequel a year after we said we would, right? Sadly, we don't know, but we are!

Note that this first chapter is shorter than others, so we're posting the first two at once. Go us!

So enjoy! And be sure to review! Thanks, loves!

Cat and Ash

* * *

He hated that look, the way she looked up at him with those big brown eyes, so full of innocence, so full of trust. He'd never been able to figure out what he'd done to deserve those eyes, but now, all he knew was that he'd never look into them again. "Ginny, we need to talk."

Lacing her hand with his she smiled brightly up at him, "What's on your mind, Draco?" She reached up to tenderly wipe a stray piece of blond hair from his forehead before sinking back down from her tiptoes, looking expectantly up at him.

He smiled weakly at her affectionate gesture, before leading her away from the groups of students studying outside and to the shade of a rather large tree. "School's ending soon." He said slowly.

"I knoooow," her brown eyes got bigger in anticipation. "You're not getting nervous are you?" She teased with a grin.

Damn her and her those stupid eyes. They were making this far too difficult. "No, no I'm not. But that's not what I wanted to talk about."

"Oh," she took a timid step back at his shortness before smiling shyly. "What is it, Draco?" She questioned, her voice slightly strained and worried.

"After school, Ginny, I think we should," How could he put it nicely? "See other people."

Her brow furrowed before her eyes were suddenly very interested in watching the grass grow. "Oh?... Why?" Her voice cracked.

He flinched at her voice. "You'll be at school, and I, well, I won't."

"But I thought.. I thought we were going to meet on weekends an-" Her voice trailed as she lifted her head to meet his eyes, red tendrils falling haphazardly across her gaze that now resembled mud puddles.

He'd said that, hadn't he? Stupid, stupid, stupid. "I just don't think..." Oh, damn it all. She was crying. Why,_why _did she have to cry? "I don't think it would work, Ginny."

"It would only be a year and then we'd be out there together," she reasoned, brushing her long fiery hair from her face with slim fingers. She bravely swallowed her tears as she worded her next question, _"Don't you love me anymore?"_

Being nice obviously wasn't working very well. He was beginning to run out of excuses. There was only one thing to do. "Come on, Gin, you knew it wouldn't last."

She took a step back from him, her usually warm brown eyes now cold and distant. "You didn't answer my question," she replied through clenched teeth.

_Yes, there it is. Hate me, Ginny, hate me._ "Do I really need to?" he drawled.

Chocolate eyes drilled into his icy stare intensely. "Yes."

Draco stared straight back at her, and uttered one simple word. "No."

whoa polka dots: "I see," she looked down at her feet for a moment before raising her head once more to ask possibly the hardest question she'd ever have to. _"Did you ever?"_

His fist clenched inside his robe pocket as he maintained his cool composure. _Make her hate you, Draco_. "Ginny, look at yourself." The hand not in a fist made its way out of his pocket to gesture at her, his eyes trailing down her form. "I wanted what every guy in the school wanted. I just figured out how to get it."

Pulling her robe closed to cover her exquisite figure, she looked spitefully at him. "You used me?"

"I wouldn't say _used."_ he replied, smirking.

"Oh, perhaps humiliated is a better word? Manipulated, even?" She shook her head as she began to walk backwards, away from him. "No.. those are too kind." She clenched her teeth to keep from crying further in front of him. _"I hate you, Draco Malfoy."_And then she turned to run inside the castle, tears streaking her ivory cheeks.

Draco's eyes flew open. With a soft sigh, he sat up, rubbing his eyes, and glanced over at the clock. 4:30. Fuck. He'd never get back to sleep. His feet slipped into expensive slippers as he made his way to his bathroom and splashed cold water on his face, and looked up into the eyes of his reflection. "Don't know what you're so bloody upset about. She hates you, doesn't she?"

"It's all that bloody Gabriel Winters' fault. Bringing her up in front of me like that."

"You dumped her. She's allowed to see other people."

"Not people like him."

"And what sort should she see?"

"Who asked you anyway?" With that, the man in the mirror fell silent.

"Talking to my bloody reflection. I'm insane."

* * *

End Chapter 1.


	2. Chapter 2

As we promised, two chapters at once!

Be sure to Review:o)

Cat and Ash

* * *

Fingers trailed down her spine hungrily as she squirmed in his hands. "Gabe..." She giggled. "Gabe!" Squirm. Giggle. Moan. Squirm. "Gabriel! Not here!" Ginny finally got her composure back as Gabriel continued to stare on at her with lustful green eyes. "We're in a broom closet for Merlin's sake!" She reasoned as she pulled her fingers through her red strands, which were now quite unruly because of Gabe's endless strokes through the fine tendrils.

"I know, I feel like I'm back at Durmstrang, snogging girls in the closets between classes," he smirked as his hands went to her waist again causing another giggle to escape her mouth. "Not now," she grinned, "You can just imagine what I have in store for you later during dinner, though," she placed a chaste kiss on his lips as he groaned at her teasing.

Opening the closet door a bit she found that the way was clear and quickly raced across the hall into her bedroom to wash for dinner, leaving Gabe sulking in the hall closet.

As soon as he stepped off the stoop from the fucking Weasley Shack, he lit a cigarette and let the vapors trail in circles above his head. He wasn't quite sure how long he'd be able to tolerate Molly's damn laughter or her father's quirky questions that no one cared shit for. The only thing that kept him partially sane in the crude cottage was Ginny's delectable body. Too bad she'd teased him once again without following through. He smirked. One day he'd have his wicked way with her and there wouldn't be a damn thing she could do. He'd show her to make empty promises, he thought as he threw his bud down on the ground, smashing it to smithereens with his boot.

Apparating to the Hog's Head, Gabriel sat down at a booth, accompanying his fellow Death Eater pals with a tip of his hat. "Firewhiskey," he requested, gratefully eating up with his eyes the waitress's generous view of her bosom spilling above her tight dress. He needed something strong to wash down Molly's horrible cooking. Who ate such crude and vile food as fried chicken? Mashed potatoes? Food for commoners. He couldn't even think of it when kissing Ginny or he was positive he'd vomit all over himself.

Smirking at the thought of snogging Miss Weasley senseless, he leaned over the table to whisper conspiringly to his mates. "She may side with those mudbloods, but she has the finest ass I've ever laid my hands on," he commented raising a bout of laughter across the table. Taking a gulp of his beverage, he listened halfheartedly to the men's comments on Ginny's other finer parts of her body. As well as many things they'd like to do with said parts. He laughed jeeringly at one man's comment before requesting another mug.

Any other day, Draco would've completely ignored the idiots' conversation. He'd order a few shots of firewhiskey, get just drunk enough to tune them out, and head home, sometimes with that cleavage-exposing waitress, but today was different. They weren't caught up in their sick, perverted daydream of just anyone, no, the girl they were describing was none other than Ginny Weasley. _His_ Ginny Weasley, damn it.

He couldn't very well walk over to them and shut them up. Six against one didn't put the odds in his favor, but he supposed it might be worth it just to cast the crutacious on him. No one would know it was him, either. He could leave and never take the damned thing off. A small smirk formed on his face at the thought, though he knew he'd never do such a thing. For now, all he could do was listen.

"I got her in the broom closet earlier," Gabe continued, "I fucked her so hard.." Okay, so he lied. The guys didn't have to know, plus Gabe had a reputation to maintain. He smirked as the guys laughed with him before continuing to embellish into their own crude fantasies.

The glass he'd been clenching onto so tightly slipped from his hand, spilling the liquor over the counter. He'd fucked her. Not only had he fucked her, but in the _broom closet. _Draco's blood was positively boiling as he slammed a coin down on the liquor-coated counter and stormed out of the pub. He wasn't even completely out the door before he apparated with a loud POP!

Where did he wind up, you might ask? Where else? The Weasley's.

* * *

Ginny was out in the back, polishing Gabe's broomstick for him with some new wax he had bought that was supposed to make the broom go faster than one thought even possible. She personally thought it was a hoax, but he seemed to buy into it. She smiled lightly at the idea of surprising him when she heard the distinct sound of someone's arrival. "Gabe?" she called from around the corner.

"_Gabe?" _Draco mimicked quietly, mumbling to himself under his breath. No he wasn't Gabe, luckily for her. The idiot was probably so drunk right now that he'd not even recognize her.

He knew he couldn't go to her. Merlin knows what her family would do if they saw him, particularly the older brothers, though her mother wasn't exactly the most understanding, either. She'd have to come to him, but he couldn't call for her. She'd recognize his voice. She wouldn't come. Blonde brows furrowed a moment, before relaxing, a smirk forming. Genius, simply genius. There was a soft murmuring, and a small flash of light before he called out in a voice that, thank Merlin, wasn't his own, "Ginny, come here! I have a surprise!" Yes, Ginny, come see Gabe's surprise.

Dressed in a blue-green tank top and denim shorts that probably should have been illegal on her long legs, she appeared from around the corner with a bright smile on her face, a speck of brown dirt on her right cheek. She brushed her large, loose, red curls off her forehead as she looked about her front yard in confusion. "Gabriel, where are y-" she stopped as her brown eyes landed upon Draco Malfoy, standing nonchalantly in the shade of a large mulberry tree.

Draco swallowed as he saw her come around the corner. Those shorts… that shirt… that wonderfully red hair. For a moment, he simply stared back at her, before speaking slowly, "I know you don't—" He let out an exasperated sigh as he lifted his wand and removed the charm. "I know you don't want to see me, but I have to talk to you."

Her knees nearly buckled at the sound of his voice, mixed with seeing him after so long. Her hand ached at her side to run through his blond strands. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. "Oh, I think you made your point perfectly clear a few years ago," she replied, turning on her heel as she headed back towards the rear end of the house. Kicking herself mentally, she had promised herself if she were ever to meet Draco Malfoy again she'd play the nonchalant bitch that didn't care two cents for him, not the bitter bitch that still wanted him. Damn it.

Okay, that could've gone worse. At least she hadn't turned him into a newt or anything of the sort, right? Plus, she almost looked happy to see him for a second there… sort of. "Ginny!" he yelled, chasing after her. "I know I was an ass, okay?" He managed to snatch up her wrist and held onto it tightly. "But this isn't about me! I _need_ to talk to you."

She tried to rip her wrist out of his grasp, but that only made it hurt worse. "What the hell do you _need?" _She spat out angrily.

His eyes narrowed at her. Stupid women. Why did they always have to be so damned _difficult?_ "Do you really think I would've come all the way over here if it wasn't important?" he snapped.

Glaring right back, she replied icily, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "Oh no, I simply thought you dropped by for a nice _fuck."_

"Oh yeah," he growled angrily, "I thought maybe I could land you in the _broom closet._ Or does that require reservation?"

Not understanding what he truly meant she simply replied, "Oh, I'm sure I could pencil you in."

"If I wanted to fuck someone, Weasley, I wouldn't have come after you. There's a girl at the bar with much bigger tits who's certainly willing." He released his hold on her wrist and shoved her away, eyes glinting with fury.

Crossing her arms spitefully over her chest, she narrowed her eyes. "Is that what you came here for? To bring me down some more?" She laughed cynically, "Oh, but I thought you'd done enough of that at Hogwarts, _Malfoy_."

"Would you shut up and listen to me for one fucking second!" he exclaimed;

Silence.

"You're in trouble, Weasley."

Feeling his furiousness deep in her bones, she inched back slightly. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Not from _me_." he drawled, looking at her as though she were the stupidest creature to walk the face of the planet.

"Don't look at me like that," she snapped angrily, placing her hands on her hips as she looked back at him as if she hated him more than brussel sprouts. Which really was a lot.

He simply rolled his eyes. "Are you going to listen or not?"

"Well, don't look at me like I'm an idiot and I will, " she all but growled. Glare.

"Gabriel was at the Hog's Head today."

She frowned slightly, remembering he had said he had business at the Mnistry. Perhaps he dropped by for a drink, she thought. "And?"

"He was talking to Death Eaters about you, Ginny." he said slowly.

She laughed uneasily. "That's ridiculous!" Narrowing her eyes, she took a threatening step towards him. "What do you get out of spreading lies about the _man I love_?"

The man she loved. Draco could feel his stomach tighten at her words. She loved him. Loved, not cared for. Loved. "They're not lies." he managed to get out through gritted teeth.

"Then what did he say?" She raised her eyebrows expectantly, waiting for him to stumble over his tongue, trying to think of lies.

But there was no stumble, though his eyes narrowed considerably. "After his lovely story of how hard he fucked you in the broom closet, the rest of them took turns describing what they were going to do to you when they got their chance. Would you like details, Weasley?"

Ginny blinked for a moment, throwing details together in her mind of them together in the broom closet. At no time in Ginny's mind did she recall any 'fucking' happening in that closet, despite Gabe's attempts at seduction. But, he could have simply exaggerated the tale to his buddies, she'd known George and Fred to do such about Quidditch feats. However.. that didn't explain how Draco would know of the broom closet... Good guess. Lots of couples snogged in secret alcoves and closets at Hogwarts, it was merely an assumption that she would have done it at some point in time, she eased herself. "No, considering it's probably more of your lies."

She didn't believe him. What was he supposed to do now? Just let it happen with the reassurance that it wasn't his fault? He didn't have time to decide.

"Ginny?" called the voice of Ron. "Who's that you're talking to?"

Draco's eyes darted toward the open front door, then back to Ginny. "If you decide to believe me..." He tossed his address at her feet. "Friday at six." And with that, he was gone.

"Ginny!" Ron was beginning to sound a bit concerned.

Standing upon the slip of paper at her feet she yelled out, "Ron, over here!" Her mind filled with confusion as her redheaded brother appeared around the corner, holding his broom.

"Ready for a game of Quidditch?"

Nodding her head she simply replied, "Sure, give me a minute!" Satisfied, Ron jogged back to the front of the house towards the small, practice Quidditch pitch. Bending down, Ginny gently grabbed the slip of paper staring at it for a moment before quickly jamming it into her pocket and grabbing her broom. "Wait for me!"

* * *

End Chapter 2. 


	3. Chapter 3

One review. Moderately depressing, but we press onward!

Thanks to BlueJeanJunkie our sole reviewer :o)

We really hope you guys are enjoying the story, and even if you're not, let us know so we can ponder it and such.

Thanks lovelies!

Cat and Ash

* * *

"So, Gabe," Ginny began nonchalantly that Friday, as she waved a dish into the cupboard. "How did your visit to the ministry go?"

He smiled before a look of confusion clouded his face. "What visit?"

Attempting to maintain her irritation under disguise she sweetly said, "On Wednesday. You left after eating here to go to the Ministry. How'd it go?"

Looking at her suspiciously for a moment he then simply smiled, "Oh, fine. Where should I put this dish?"

Pointing to the pantry, Ginny continued. "What did you do?"

Growing slightly annoyed, he simply said, "I... dropped some papers off."

"Which ones?"

"Why are we talking about work when I have you here alone all to myself?" He engulfed her waist in his arms, nuzzling her neck.

Surprisingly, Ginny was only more annoyed by his avoiding tactic. She nudged him away. "Because I want to know what you did."

"Why does it matter?"

Eyes round at his outburst, Ginny took a step back. "It matters to me."

Easing his tone a bit, he reached out for her but she simply stepped away, caressing the piece of paper in her pocket with her thumb. Throwing down the tea towel onto the counter, she left the house in a rush, ignoring his protests, and was soon unraveling the piece of paper to see Draco's address. Okay, so she was thirty minutes early. Big deal. Grabbing her broomstick, she found her way to his flat, stumbling at her landing as her vision was blurry. She wiped at her eyes, not even realizing she had been crying, before ringing the doorbell, her eyes a blotchy red.

Lucky for Ginny, Draco was home. Of course, he wasn't expecting her to be there just yet. He hadn't actually expected her to be there at all. This explained why he wasn't looking his best. His shirt was in the wash due to a large red stain, which could only have been caused by the pot of tomato sauce currently on the stove. When the doorbell rang, he didn't think twice before pulling the door open.

And then he didn't think at all. He just stared. "Ginny? What happened?"

"You told me to come," she immediately defended herself, self-consciously brushing her hair back with her fingers as she attempted to ignore the fact that he was shirtless. Difficult task, that was.

Well, of course he did, but he didn't actually think she _would_, especially not in tears like she was now. "Come inside." He ushered her in and shut the door behind her, leaning against it. "What's going on, Gin?"

"Nothing," she dismissed as she looked about his flat discreetly with curiosity as she finally just placed her hands in her jean pockets because of lack of anything else to do with them. "I just.. I want you to tell me everything you know about Gabriel. Please." She swallowed bravely.

"It doesn't look like nothing." He murmured, and he knew it wasn't. That bastard had done something to her, and when he figured out what it was, Gabriel would pay. Dearly.

"Well, it is," she insisted. Then frowned. "And don't call me Gin anymore." She was suddenly very intrigued by the tile floor in his foyer.

"Right. Sure." That was going to be difficult. "Are you hungry?" He disappeared down the small hallway, before she could answer his question. "Let me just go get a shirt."

She watched him disappear into a room down the hall before taking a few timid steps towards what she assumed to be the kitchen as she caught the scent of sauce. Leaning against the doorframe, she looked around at his bare necessities upon the cold counter. Such a guy.

He reappeared a moment later, buttoning up a black shirt, though his gaze was upon her. She looked amused. At least she wasn't crying anymore. "You didn't answer me…"

"I'm sorry, what?" She brushed a strand of red hair behind her ear self-consciously without meeting his gaze.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, smirking slightly.

Wrapping her arms around her petite waist, as if hugging herself, she quietly replied. "No, thank you."

"Are you sure?" He raised a brow at her, eyes drifting to her covered mid-section. "I have plenty enough for you."

"Yes, I'm sure," she dropped her hands to her sides.

He shrugged and pointed his wand at the stove. With a flick, the heat turned off, and he looked back to Ginny. "Then I'll eat after you leave." He waved her over to the couch, sitting himself down on one end. "What did you want to talk about?"

Seating herself in a chair a fair distance from him, she cleared her throat, not trusting it to not crack. "About Gabriel.. Wh-what.. do you know.. about him?" Oh, what pretty material was on the chair's armrest..

"That he's a sleaze," he muttered bitterly.

She shifted in her seat uncomfortably, waiting.

"I don't see much of a point in telling you anything. You'll just call me a liar and leave again."

"Then why the hell did you invite me here?" She demanded, finally lifting her head to meet his gaze.

"Why did you come?" he retorted, staring straight into those brown eyes.

"Because I.. because," she stopped for a moment. "Tonight I asked him about his visit to the ministry and he.." she waved her hand to erase the rest of her statement. "Never mind," she stood, looking at the door. "Obviously this was a mistake. So sorry to bother you." Don't cry. Don't cry.

He stared at her. Was she out of her bloody mind? Was she really so obssessed with this guy that she refused to see what was right in front of her face? "You're leaving?"

"Well, you don't want me here," she accused.

"If you're going to leave, then leave, but don't blame me."

She fidgeted for a moment. Damn it all. Walking over to his mantel, she looked at a few candid pictures of himself displayed. Most of them of him on his broomstick, playing Quidditch. But one in particular caught her eye. It was of them in the middle of his seventh year after a trip to Hogsmeade together, they both had rosy cheeks but were happily collapsed in each other's arms beneath a tree. The picture was mocking her.

"What is this?" Her hurt brought itself out in anger as she shook the photo at him accusingly.

"It's er…" Damn it all to hell. How was he going to explain that one? Somehow 'I have no idea where that came from!' didn't seem to be the right answer, nor did the truth. "It's a picture, Weasley." He muttered, snatching it from her. "What's it look like?"

"Why do you have a picture of us on your mantel?" she persisted, her brow furrowing together in a look of hurt and confusion.

"It's a nice picture." he replied calmly. "And last time I checked there's no law against it."

She followed behind him as he rested it back atop the mantel, "What do you do when your buddies come over? Show it off?" She began to mimic his voice, "Oh look, mates. Look at the Ginny Weasley that I _fucked_. She was so easy.." She glared at him. "Is that what you say? Come on, Draco. Tell me, I want to know."

Draco didn't answer her. His frustration was growing steadily with each and every word until he finally grabbed her hand, pulled open his front door and flung her outside. "Go home, Weasley." And the door slammed closed in her face.

Ginny stood outside his door for a few moments before beginning to mentally kick, scream, and yell at herself. She walked a couple blocks idly, not knowing exactly where she was going. And then it began to rain.

Thinking of the past, Ginny remembered so many memories with Draco. Laughing with Draco. Playing tricks on Draco. Meeting with him secretly. Snogging him senseless and then some. It just didn't make sense. They had been so happy... Tears began to mingle with the raindrops on her cheeks.

At some point in the midst of the walking and raining Ginny made her way back to Draco's flat. She stood outside his door, unknowing of the time, although it had to be a few hours later, the sun had set and the stars had begun to shine through the gray clouds.

Knocking feebly on the door, a soaked Ginny stood waiting for him as he opened the door, quietly asking, "Can I have some of that spaghetti now?"

* * *

End Chapter 3. 


	4. Chapter 4

Three reviews! w00t! Daftlilme, DracoVeritas, Riley Black, you guys are awesome :D

This Chapter took longer to get up, we know. We're sorry! But it's longer:o)

Please R&R and Enjoy!

Thanks! Much love!

Cat and Ash

* * *

Draco had never been so surprised to see anyone in his life. Ginny Weasley, soaked to the bone, was at his front door. A few hours ago she'd been yelling at him and accusing him of bragging about their sexual escapades, and now she was asking for spaghetti. For a brief moment he pondered shutting the door in her face again, just to let her know how it felt, but he thought better of it. With a soft sigh, he moved to the side to let her in.

"I'm uh-well," she paused as she stepped inside, dripping on his tile floor. "Well, I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

Draco crossed his arms over his chest. "Don't move." he mumbled, making his way back into his room. He soon returned with a pair of sweat pants and a shirt that would no doubt engulf her small form, but all the same. He handed them to her. "Change in the entryway. You're not dripping all the way to my bathroom."

She shifted her weight from foot-to-foot uncomfortably. Taking the pieces of clothing from him she held them to her chest. "Thank you."

She was obviously waiting for something, so he turned around, gaze resting upon the wall.

He wasn't going to leave? She quickly realized this and turning her back to him, she slowly began to unbutton her top.

And he wasn't peeking either. Of course not. He was looking straight ahead at oh... there went her shirt.

She then reached back to unclasp her bra, stubbornly clinging to her breasts. After that too fell to the floor, her nimble fingers moved to unzip her jeans, the zipping noise the only sound in the foyer. Awkward.

Okay, so he was looking. Staring even, but she didn't know that. Of course, judging by the way his jeans were suddenly beginning to feel a bit too small for him, it wouldn't be too long before she realized it.

Having trouble, she inched the jeans down slowly over her wet legs, the denim bunching persistently. She swore beneath her breath as she got it past her thighs and let them fall the rest of the way. Leaning down to grab the sweatshirt she pulled it over her head before slipping her hand behind her neck and pulling her hair out of the neck-hole of the jumper, her red locks falling down carelessly over the oversized top.

_Stop staring; she'll see... ohh..._ He swore as well, unable to keep himself from staring as her creamy legs were exposed. But she was covering herself up again. He just had to give her big, baggy things, didn't he? He'd hardly be able to tell she had breasts in those, though he supposed that might be a good thing at the moment.

And then she turned her head to look for the pants she had dropped. Her eyes caught his and she inwardly gasped in surprise but said not a word as she leaned down to grab the sweats and quickly pulled them up to cover her legs.

Oh, that was _bad._ She really wasn't supposed to catch him, you know. At least she hadn't said anything about it, he reasoned, as he coughed and looked away, staring at the wall once again.

Bending down to pick up her wet clothing, she bunched them together in her arms, some of the water seeping onto her chest through the sweatshirt but she didn't seem to notice. "Where would you like me to put these?" she asked quietly.

He turned and took them from her. "I'll put them in the dryer." Funny how her bra just happened to be on top of the pile…

"Thank you," she whispered, her head lowered as she examined her bare feet, wiggling her toes against the cold tile.

Upon returning, he headed straight for the kitchen and began doing multiple things at once. The spaghetti was reheating and a plate and silver wear were flying toward the table. A chair pulled itself out for her and a napkin hovered, just waiting for her to sit down.

She watched as he flitted his wand about, muttering commands. "What, no servants?" She teased, smiling weakly as she remembered his response at Hogwarts of doing things himself.

"The house elves belong to my father." he replied, shrugging. The floating napkin flew up behind her, tapping her shoulder impatiently.

Her smile widened ever so slightly at the napkin's eagerness as she snatched it out of thin air. "Oh," she replied, sitting down at the chair he offered her. She bit her lip to restrain spouting questions at him as she watched him fix her meal, her eyes red and splotchy still from crying. She suddenly grew very conscious of how much of a fright she must look. Standing up quickly, she placed the napkin on the table and asked, "Um.. will you show me where the bathroom is?"

He eyed her for a moment, before setting off down the picture-free hallway. He paused before the second door on the right and gestured to it.

She slipped in with her head lowered, quietly shutting the door behind her before she peered into the mirror above the sink.

Holy Merlin. She looked awful. How could he even stand to be in the same room with her? Much less look at her? She quickly began peering in drawers for a comb, a brush, anything to get rid of the knots in her hair because stupid her... She had left the house without her wand. She finally found a small white comb in the bottom drawer but after a few urgent strokes it broke in half. "Damn it."

Fingering her way through the strands she got it look slightly decent, aside from the fact that she looked like a drowned rat. And it didn't help that the sweats he'd given her made her look like a potato sack.

Emerging from the bathroom a few moments later, she stepped into the kitchen and took a seat at the table, drawing her knees up beneath her chin in the chair. "Are you going to eat with me?" she asked meekly.

Draco smirked slightly when she appeared, looking a considerable bit nicer than before. It was almost laughable, really. She spent half her time telling him how much she hated him, and then she went and made herself look nice for him. Women. "I already ate. I could sit across from you and watch you eat, if you'd like."

Well, that'd be more awkward than-

"Okay." Big eyes.

Draco blinked blankly at her. He really hadn't expected that, but, being one to live up to his word, he sat down in the seat across from hers, yawning slightly. "Isn't it a bit late for you to be out? Gabriel will be worried."

Stabbing the spaghetti noodles spitefully, she answered, "Oh, I doubt that."

'_Shut up, Draco. I love him. Shut up, Draco, I hate him. Shut up, Draco, I hate you. Shut up, Draco, I love him…'_ Did the cycle _ever_ end? Though he really didn't want to know about Ginny and her lover's escapades, he couldn't help but ask, "Why?"

"He wouldn't tell me where he was on Wednesday." Stab. Stab. "He avoided it like the plague." Her chin trembled slightly.

"So you came here?" Brow raise.

"I needed to go somewhere where I might be able to find answers, Draco, and you offered," she added softly, moving the food around on her plate without actually accomplishing any eating.

"I told you to come if you decided to believe me." he drawled, grey eyes examining her face. "Do you?"

"Are you asking me to leave if I don't?" She asked quietly, setting her fork down beside her plate.

"I'm asking you if you believe me."

She frowned. "I don't want to," she replied truthfully as she looked down at her clasped hands in her lap, "But I haven't decided yet."

His gaze fell upon her spread out, stabbed spaghetti. "Eat. Your clothes should be done by the time you're done."

Thinking she'd upset him, she slowly began to eat, forcing the food down her dry and thick throat.

"You're not even hungry, are you?" he muttered.

"I was," she managed, closing her eyes as she leaned her head back onto the chair's headrest.

He sighed. "I suppose this means I'll have to entertain you until your clothes are dry."

"No, I can just-" Just what? Walk out of there naked? Fantastic. "I'm sorry I'm such a burden on you," she closed her eyes tightly as she apologized sincerely.

Draco shrugged, rising from his seat. "You like movies, don't you?"

The side of her mouth twitched slightly but she studied him suspiciously, "What kinds?"

"Whatever kind I decide to put on."

She bit the inside of her mouth, deciding. Knowing she shouldn't even be there at all, she had merely come to ask him a few questions about Gabriel... YOUR BOYFRIEND, she reminded herself. But at that moment, her feelings towards him were not exactly ones of love. "I don't know..." she began, biting her lip nervously. "Well, I guess until my clothes dry, that'd be okay," she finally answered, more to herself than Draco, as she slipped from the chair, unraveling her long legs from beneath her as she stood up beside him.

The movie began, and Draco made himself comfortable smack dab in the middle of the couch, as he always did. Right in the middle of the screen, you see, then turned to her, looking at her expectantly.

Noticing that it'd be quite foolish to seat herself in the chair she had sat in earlier, as it didn't even face the screen at all, she found her seat on the end of the couch.. as close to the armrest as possible, her legs drawn up beside her. She could feel a drop of sweat sliding down between her breasts as she noticed her toes were only an inch and a half from Draco's thighs. Merlin, help her.

He pretended not to notice this as he flicked his wand and the lights dimmed, the title of the movie flashing across the screen. He did, however, allow himself a small glance at her, before averting his attention to the movie once more.

Gulp.

What was he trying to do? Kill her? _Don't let him get to you, don't let him get to you.._ she chanted to herself as she fidgeted with her fingers in her lap. Honestly, having Draco Malfoy in such close proximity to one's body could not be healthy. Especially when he looked so relaxed.. and.. sexy an- NO. He _used you,_ she reminded herself, turning her attention back to the TV screen.

That small smirk was back on Draco's face. He'd seen her looking at him. Oh yes, he had. Of course, he'd been looking, was looking at her, too, but that made no difference. She was the one all hung up on this Gabriel fellow. He was allowed to stare.

"It's not polite to stare," she arched a haughty brow at him that didn't dare betray her on showing the butterflies in her stomach or the sweat dripping behind her neck.

He chuckled. "Hypocrite."

Her cheeks turned a deep red but she kept her ground, "I was not staring at you."

"Oh, of course not." he replied, smirk more vibrant than ever. "Just glancing, right?"

"It was more of a fleeting look, really."

Snicker.

She narrowed her eyes at him before turning her attention back to the movie. Something about a space shuttle. Draco's bone structure was much more interesting at the moment, however. _Damn it._

Right. They were watching a movie, weren't they? He even managed to watch it for a whole two minutes, before looking at her again. Her still damp hair, her bright brown eyes, her lips... She was just waiting for him to pounce her right then and there, wasn't she?

Yes. I mean_. NO._ Bad Ginny. Bad, bad.

And coincidently enough, she chose such time to look at him as well. "What?" She whispered self-consciously, noticing the intensity of his stare as she reached a hand up to brush a lock of red fire behind her ear.

Without even realizing it, his face was drifting ever closer to hers. Closer, closer, so very, very close. It wasn't until he was a few mere centimeters away that he noticed and then, he decided, it was far too late to move backward, yet he wasn't moving forward to close the gap. He came 90… she had to come ten.

Her breath caught in her throat as she saw his face close to hers and didn't even realize it when her eyes slowly began to close, her lips pressing against his timidly. _WHAT ARE YOU DOING? _her mind wanted to scream but her body and heart were whistling a different tune.

What was she doing? Kissing Draco Malfoy. What was Draco doing? Carefully running his tongue along her lower lip. No sin in that, right? It wasn't like she was _married._

Ginny moaned quietly as his tongue tickled along her lips, her hand reaching back to curve around the nape of his neck. With her brown eyes tightly shielded, she temporarily shut out the world around her including Gabriel and her past and focused on the intimate kiss, which was slowly growing.

Urged on by Ginny's soft sound of pleasure (and smirking inwardly), he deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping into her mouth. That gentleness was slowly turning into fervor, uncovered after years of being buried and shoved aside.

Drawn by him, she pressed her body against his, her other hand wrapping around his waist as she enthusiastically responded to his deepening of the kiss, desperately aching to feel more of him as she discovered his mouth once more with her tongue.

That feeling he'd gotten from watching her change was coming back in full force, what with her in such close proximity. Draco had completely forgotten the fact that she was off-limits, and, had he remembered, he probably wouldn't have cared much. He'd been craving this for far too long. A groan escaped him as he pressed even closer, his hand slipping under the large sweatshirt and running across her stomach, tantalizingly close to her breasts, but he'd not make such a bold move just yet.

A small gasp left her mouth, "Draco," she sighed. _Draco._ Oh, God. Instantly pushing away from him, she stood up from the couch as if he suddenly had a disease she was terrified of catching. Confusion, frustration, anger, and hurt all etched across her face as she thought of words to say. "I didn't mean, I mean.. you-" He broke your heart. You have Gabriel. "Why did you do that!" she demanded.

"You didn't seem to mind!" he exclaimed, obviously surprised by her outburst.

"That's because I-I," she stopped, angry with herself at her reaction to him. "I came here for answers and you just end up using me _again!"_ She all but spat at him as she stomped towards the front door.

"I _used _you!" he asked incredulously as he jumped to his feet. "You can't be serious!"

"Oh, about which time, Draco?" She quipped, returning to stand before him, her voice like ice. "Shall we count them, then?"

"For Christ's sake, Ginny, that was five years ago!" Not to mention the fact that he had an unbelievably good excuse he'd never be able to tell her.

Lowering her voice to a somber tone she simply said, "You broke my heart once, Draco Malfoy. I will _not _let you do it again." And with that, she simply stepped back, "May I have my clothes now?" Eyes glued to floor once again.

He accioed her clothes, extending them out for her to take, but as she did, he kept a firm hold on them. "So you'll let him do it instead."

"Like you care," she tugged on her clothes.

"I do."

Her eyes flickered with emotion temporarily before growing cold once again. "Like I haven't heard that before. Now, give me my clothes, Malfoy, and I'll be on my way." She said the latter part as if he should be so relieved by her departure.

The blonde let out a soft sigh and released his hold on her garments, watching her with intense grey eyes.

Tucking them beneath her arm she slowly turned towards the door to turn the doorknob. "I'll send your clothes to you tomorrow morning," she said quietly before disappearing behind the door without a backwards glance.

As the door slammed closed, Draco leaned his forehead against it, gritting his teeth. "Damn it!" His fist slammed against the door. That had not gone as planned.

* * *

End Chapter 4.


	5. Chapter 5

Five reviews:o) How lovely! Thanks you guys!

Sorry this chappie took so long to get up. We actually had it written but with the hectic end-of-school nonsense, there wasn't time to upload it and sooo… You get the picture. However! It's up now. Rejoice!

Love from Oklahoma and Texas

Cat and Ash

* * *

Ginny came home two nights later to find her living room transformed into a seduction trap. Candles were lit all about the room, a low, sultry music was playing in the background, and the scent of champagne was heady as Gabriel sat in the center of them room swirling two elegant glasses of the drink in his hands.

Despite her recent qualms of his true intentions, she smiled shyly and acquiesced as she sat beside him, bringing the glass to her lips to take her first sip of the drink when there were three rough knocks on the door. Ginny peered curiously at the door; Gabriel's nostrils flared with frustration as he removed his hand from her waist. "Who could that be?"

Unknowingly, the youngest Weasley stood and simply replied over her shoulder, "You stay there, I'm sure it's just someone with the wrong apartment number," she assured herself. If it had been Ron or another one of her siblings, they simply would have walked in, even Harry and Hermione. Brows furrowed she leaned forward to open the door, her eyes widening at her guest.

Draco had never been so drunk in his life.

He'd started off with one, seen a redhead (who may have very well been related to her) and downed a few more… and a few more… and a few more… but no matter how many shots he downed, no matter how blurry his vision got, he couldn't get rid of that blasted image. Her, looking up at him with those big, brown eyes. Smiling. Trusting. Damn her. Damn her to hell.

Who did she think she was getting him all worked up like this? She had no right to make him think about her or to make him worried about her. For Christ's sake, he'd tried to save her life and what did she do? Accused him of only wanting her for another fuck.

… Not that another fuck wouldn't have been incredibly welcome.

Damn her! He didn't deserve this! He was being a genuinely good person for once in his life, and he was going to tell her so, even if it meant banging down her door to do it.

He had it all worked out. He was going to set her in her place, and she'd beg him for forgiveness. Of course, in his drunken stupor, the only thing that came out of his mouth when that door opened was "You… are wrong."

"Ginny, who is that!" Gabe called from the living room.

"Uh, a little girl.. selling cookies, I'll be right there!" She yelled back before turning to Draco. "You!" she accused, jabbing her index finger into his shoulder. "Your _nerve_," she continued before lowering her voice and pulling him into the apartment as she instantaneously pulled open the closet door and jammed him in there, following after. "What do you think you are doing showing up at my door drunk off your arse, Draco Malfoy?"

Reaching up to pull the string above her to turn on the light, her black halter rode up a few inches on her stomach revealing a flat midriff. She crossed her arms over her chest, displaying a nice line of cleavage, however, she failed to notice this as she glared up at him. "Well?" she hissed.

Draco blinked at her. She was doing that on purpose, wasn't she? Exposing her stomach, pushing up her breasts, forcing him to notice just how lovely and positively… "You have no… no…" Fuck. What was that word again? His face contorted into one of confusion as he tried to remember the word that had so rudely decided to wander from his train of thought.

"Patience for you? That's right," her nose crinkled before she continued. "Are you _drunk?"_

"No." he replied automatically. She could kindly ignore the unbelievably strong smell of alcohol on his breath.

With an eye roll, she grabbed him by the wrist and began to drag him into the kitchen, yelling at Gabe, "I'm just getting my wallet Gabe, I'll be right there." He grunted in response.

Walking through the kitchen doors, she whipped around to face Draco. "What in the hell do you think you are doing showing up at my home drunk, Malfoy?" She hissed in a stage whisper as she grabbed for her glass of champagne, needing it dearly at this point.

"I'll take that." The glass was easily snatched right out of her hand by the blonde, who eyed it with a raised brow. Champagne. Wonderful! More alcohol! Oddly colored, that champagne. More bubbles, too. His eyes widened considerably. Oddly colored… more bubbles… Poison! Gabriel was trying to poison Ginny, the bloody bastard! He had to save her (Never mind the fact that he'd come with every intention of making her feel like a complete ass). But how? How to make sure she didn't drink it? There was only one way in his foggy mind. Drink it himself. And that's exactly what he did.

"Cheers." He mumbled, and down it went. It wasn't so bad at first. For a moment, he actually thought he might've been hallucinating… and then the glass dropped to the ground and shattered into tiny little pieces. Draco turned from her and grasped onto the counter, teeth gritted. Fuck that _hurt!_ "Should… probably… go…" Was this death? Was he honestly going to die drunk as hell in Ginny Weasley's kitchen? A gasp of pain escaped his lips as he glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

Ginny's brown eyes grew to the size of saucers as she stared at Draco as he doubled over. Merlin, what was wrong with him? "Draco?" Her voice quivered as she reached for his shoulder, "Draco, what's wrong!" Her voice began to panic.

His grip tightened on the counter. She was touching him, actually touching him. A faint smile made its way onto his lips. She didn't hate him after all. "Leaving now..." His knuckles were white from his death grip, and as soon he'd taken a few steps, they were equally white on a different piece of counter.

"DRACO!" She cried frantically as he collapsed against the counter once again, his teeth gritted as if he were restraining himself. Grabbing her wand, she quickly uttered the spell and had him levitating towards her bedroom a few feet down the hall. Settling him down upon her heavily pillowed bed she immediately turned towards the door and left as she walked to the other side of the hall towards her study, throwing open the cupboard doors and quickly began grabbing potions into her hand before jogging back towards Draco. "Drink this.. and this.." she continued, thankful for her mediwitch capabilities.

He looked up at the blurry redhead above him, squinting. Her lips were moving, weren't they? Was she saying something? Was it important? Her face was getting darker. Everything was getting darker as Draco just stared up at her, the poison painfully taking its toll on his body.

"DRACO!" She yelled once again, her voice a half sob. Grabbing a murky brown potion she parted his lips with her finger as she raised his head up with her other hand, attempting to slide the thick liquid down his throat. "Come on.. come on.. do it for me.. please," she pleaded, her eyes going slightly blurry themselves.

"Ginny?" A questioning voice sounded from down the hall. "Are you okay?"

She ignored it as she stared intensely into Draco's eyes. "Please..." she sobbed.

His chest, which had hardly been rising and falling, ceased to move at all then. His eyes stared blankly up at her, devoid of life.

Oh, god. Oh, god. Oh, god. Not him. Not now. Not like this. Ginny's eyes spilled over with tears as she collapsed upon his chest, her arms folded together across his stomach, her face buried in them as her shoulders shook with sobs.

"Ginny, what's wro-" Gabe stopped as he took in the scene, his eyes going from confusion to fury as he recognized Draco. "What's _he_ doing here?" He questioned, without a flicker of concern for Ginny.

"Dead!" she yelled back. her anger compounding onto him. "After he took a sip of my champagne he-" she stopped, realization hitting.

"You bastard! YOU TRIED TO _POSION ME?"_

"That's ridiculous," he began, even though he knew denial was asinine at this point.

"Get out of here, out of my life, I never want to see you again!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, eyes blood red with rage.

Taking a step back, Gabe's eyes widened as he reached out for Ginny, gripping at any sympathy whatsoever. "Gin, I swear-"

"And don't you _dare _call me that, I hate you and never want to speak to you again! The next time you see me I swear to God I'll kill you," she backed him into the hallway where she slammed the door shut on his face, her back collapsing against the door as her body shook with sobs. A few moments later her front door slammed shut, signifying Gabe's departure. Her crying continued.

It was unbelievably quiet at first, then a bit louder as time went on. Coughing, choking even, as bit of the brown fluid that had shoved down his throat slowly dribbled down the side of his mouth.

Ginny's cries had simmered down to weak whimpers by this point and her eyes slowly lifted as she heard Draco's struggling. Standing quickly, she urgently grabbed Draco by the shoulders and turned him onto his stomach, his face off the bed as he vomited the bile onto the floor, his body shaking in convulsions. Pushing his hair back off his face, she quietly shushed him, attempting to soothe him. "Draco, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." her quivering voice managed.

Blink. Blink. She stared at the passed out Draco laying beside her for a few moments, speechless, before lying his head down on a pillow, a small smile on her face. Hours passed as she cleaned him up, as well as the room, and began whispering spells over his body to save him, as even though he had excreted the majority of the poison from his body, it could still bring horrible effects, and even death. Seeing as how that's what it was meant for with her. But, she pushed that out of her mind for the moment, she couldn't focus on herself right now, not when Draco depended on her. For the third time that night, she swiped a wet washcloth across his sweating brow and sat down in a chair opposite him and continued waiting.

* * *

Draco felt horrid when he awoke the next morning. Every part of his body ached, particularly his head and stomach, though he supposed that had a great deal to do with his immense alcohol consumption the night before. He sat up to look around and immediately regretted it. His head gave such a painful throb that he couldn't help but cry out, which didn't help the headache much either, mind you.

He examined the room with tired eyes. He knew this room. Ginny's room. "Gin…" he croaked, before remembering what she'd so coldly said to him a few nights prior. "ny."

Walking across the room, she sat down beside him on the bed, leaning over him as if examining her patient. "Yes, I'm here," she smiled warmly as her palm reached up to feel his forehead. "How are you feeling, Draco?"

"Like hell." he muttered. "What didyou _do_ to me last night, woman?"

Her face darkened as she spoke, "Gabriel poisoned my champagne.. you drank it foolishly enough," she accentuated her ending as she stared at him as if he'd brought it upon himself.

He looked at her like she'd lost her mind. "I drank your poisoned champagne. Did I know it was poisoned?"

Shifty eyes. "Well.. I suppose... not..."

He smacked his face with his hand. "Oh, good Lord. I drank it on purpose." Which meant he was drunk out of his ever-loving mind, which meant he could've said anything to her. "I didn't... uh... say anything, right?"

She looked at him, confusion clouding her face. "What are you talking about?" She felt his forehead again.

He carefully took her hand from his forehead and set it back in her lap, before sliding his legs to the edge of the bed with a grimace. "I should go home before someone sees me."

"No!" She all but screamed, "You can't leave. You're not well enough, if you leave now you're just looking to get yourself killed." She eased his shoulders back down, "You're staying right here where I can watch over you. It's my fault you're like this in the first place," she chided herself as she began to ease his arms from his robe.

Screaming was bad, very bad. Draco flinched as another painful throb wracked his brain. "Ginny, this is--" Blink. Was she undressing him? Mind out of the gutter, Draco! "You don't need to do this. I'm fine."

"Yes, I do," she slipped the robe off his shoulders tenderly, careful not to hurt him more. Setting it on the chair beside her she then grabbed a blanket off of the end of the bed and gently draped it over his body.

Draco waited to argue with her until after she'd finished touching him. Hell, if he was going to be forced to lose a bit of ego, he was going to enjoy it. "You don't. I was the drunken idiot who drank the damned thing instead of dumping it out."

"Draco, please," she pleaded, "Let me do this." Keeping her eyes intense on his she levitated a small tube of potion to his lips. "It'll help with the headache," she explained.

He sighed and grabbed the hovering potion, obviously having given in to her. It was rather disgusting-looking, and for a brief moment Draco pondered just what it might be made of. Then, deciding it was probably better not to think of it, he downed it with a grimace. "Sick."

Taking the glass from him, she rested it on the nightstand beside the bed, tucking the blanket up around his sides. "Get some rest," she whispered, her eyes sorrowful as she began to leave. "I'm sorry," she whispered as she closed the door, apologizing for not believing him.

* * *

End Chapter 5. 


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks for the reviews, guys. :o) We really appreciate 'em!

Now, this chapter explains why the story is rated M, so it's not for innocent eyes, you hear?

You've been warned.

Anyway, read, enjoy, and review! Cool? Cool.

Much love from Oklahoma and Texas

Cat and Ash

* * *

Draco didn't know when he'd fallen asleep, nor when he'd woken up for that matter. All he knew was that it was night, judging by the pitch black of the sky he could see through her window. How long had he been asleep? His eyes drifted around the room, examining the various objects. Everything in it reeked of Ginny Weasley. The pictures on the wall were all of her family, minus the few of Harry and Hermione and various other family friends. The books resting on their shelves all had the words 'healing' or 'quidditch' in their titles, and if he wasn't mistaken that was a silver, emerald-embedded mirror on her vanity. Green always had been her color you know. She'd worn that green dress to the ball, and he'd gotten her that… emerald…embedded…mirror… That was the mirror _he'd _given her! She'd kept it through all these years, even after all the hell he'd put her through. Did that mean… was it possible that… 

No. Of course not.

Ginny Weasley had made it perfectly clear that she not only did not trust him, but wanted nothing what so ever to do with him and would plenty satisfied with him falling off the face of the Earth, hadn't she?

With a soft sigh, he forced himself to his feet and slowly made his way out of her room, into the corridor, pausing as he entered what he supposed was the family room. There she lay, asleep on a couch, a book lying upon his chest. A small smile formed upon his face as he moved to her and carefully reached to remove the book, biting his lip as his fingers came in contact with her chest. _Don't wake up. Don't wake up. Don't wake up._

_Shit._

Ginny's eyelids fluttered as she felt the absence of the weight of the book on her stomach, a gentle hand caressing across her front as she blinked, bringing the room into focus. "Draco?" she whispered in a raspy voice.

His hands had never moved so fast in his life. "I didn't mean to-- I was just--" he said quickly. "The book, and it just happened. I wouldn't."

"I didn't mean to fall asleep," she rubbed at her brown eyes as she sat up. "I'm sorry, how are you feeling?" she looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes.

Draco blinked down at her. Was she really not going to yell at him for touching her in such a manner? "Uh... Fine." he said, staring at her.

She stood, pulling her shirt down self-consciously to cover her stomach. Uncomfortably, she asked him, "Why are you looking at me like that? What did you do?"

"Nothing." he replied, perhaps too quickly.

Brows furrowed she reached a hand out to feel his cheeks for a temperature. Perhaps that wasn't a very smart move, however. Her soft hands tingled with his skin underneath their tips.

Draco's icy gaze met hers then, before surveying the features of her face. Beautiful, big brown eyes, those wonderful pink lips, her cheekbones, her freckles, every last feature. They weren't his to stare at, he thought sadly, not anymore.

She swallowed and her jaw clenched as she rubbed the pad of her thumb over his cheekbone before dropping it lifelessly back to her side. "Well, you don't have a temperature, that's a good sign," she said weakly.

"I guess that means I'm healthy enough to head home, huh?" Not that he really wanted to. This whole being pampered by Ginny thing was rather... nice.

"I guess so," her voice cracked. _Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry, damn it._

He nodded slowly, and rose to his feet, staring at the wall. He didn't want to leave. Why the hell had he said that? Perhaps because he knew she wanted him to go, but... Ah, fuck it all. He wasn't going anywhere.

He made it all the way to the door, before groaning as though in horrid pain and clutching his stomach, smirking inwardly as his "knees gave out" and he fell to the floor.

"DRACO!" Ginny fell to her knees beside him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, his head in her lap. "Are you all right? Tell me what's wrong!" Tears trickled down her face as she held him close, her heartbeat thudding in her throat.

Oh, this was nice. Head in lap. He should fake sick more often. "It's nothing, I just fell." he mumbled pathetically.

He couldn't resist a cheeky grin as he was held rather close to those lovely... "But you said I was feeling better." He mock-insisted.

"Well, if you feel better.." she began doubtfully, as she helped him stand.

And those knees 'gave way' once again just as soon as he was in a standing position.

And she fell down with him, "No, you have to stay here. Let me help you, please. It's the least I can do." Big doe eyes peered into his pleadingly.

He let out a melodramatic sigh. "I don't like being a burden, Ginny."

"You're not a burden. Absolutely not. It's my fault you're in this mess," she continued as she helped him over to the couch, laying him down upon the heavy cushions. "Is there anything I can get for you?" She asked, her fingertips brushing strands of hair from his eyes as she leaned over him.

Ha! Success! Not only had he succeeded in staying at Ginny's house, but he managed to get her to pamper him more than ever. Life was good. "I was just... wondering. Last night... what exactly happened?" he asked slowly.

"Well," she began, sitting down beside him, her hip against his side. "You came over here.. _drunk_," she gave him a look to show just how much she disapproved of that fact before continuing. "You told me I was wrong, and other things that also didn't make sense... and then we went into the kitchen.. you took my champagne from me.. which apparently was poisoned," her eyes clouded to where they now looked cold and distant. "I ... I kicked Gabriel out.." she finished as she picked at a loose thread on the sofa.

Heh. Other things that didn't make sense. Good. She didn't have the slightest idea what he'd been going on about. However, his expression changed from slightly light-hearted to match hers at the mention of Gabriel. "When I find him, I'll kill him. I promise you that." he growled.

She didn't object, merely continued sitting there, attempting to soak up the closeness of him before she knew she had to get up.

She really didn't need to do that, you know. She could always snuggle with him. He was sick, after all. The sick need company. "...Ginny?"

She stood quickly, knowing that was his request. "I'm sorry," she began, fiddling with her hair. "Do you want something to drink?" Cringe. "How about some food instead?"

He frowned as she rose. That was _so_ not his request. "I was actually going to ask you," He glanced at her. "Am I allowed to call you Gin now?"

A small smile flittered to her lips as she whispered, "Yes."

A matching one wormed its way onto his face. "Then, Gin," he replied softly. "I want you to sit down and stop worrying about me."

She was torn between lying down and resting against his side or screaming at him, demanding to know why he gave up what they had had at Hogwarts. Settling in the middle, she sat down beside him once again, hands in lap as she searched for the words to say.

As if reading her mind, he murmured gently, "I didn't use you."

"Then why?" She asked, turning to face him, her chin trembling.

He sighed softly, avoiding her gaze. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Her voice turned slightly icy, "Try me."

She just had to take that tone, didn't she? God, he hated that. "Oh, like the last time I tried to tell you something?" he snapped back.

She flinched as if he'd slapped her in the face. "Please tell me," she replied softly.

He eyed her. "Swear you'll believe me?"

"I swear."

"Did you not notice that I'm not living at the manor anymore?" he asked calmly.

"Well...yes, but I..I didn't.." she bit her lip, confused.

"I know you noticed there were no house elves, no fancy decorations."

She nodded slowly.

He pulled up his sleeves and showed her his forearms; his plain, non-marked forearms.

"Now is not the time to show me your muscles, Draco," she teased with a light smile.

He rolled his eyes. "You're smarter than this."

She was slightly taken aback by his curt tone but slowly lowered her eyes to his arms, her fingers tracing the light blue veins in his forearms, "You're unmarked," she discovered, her voice a hushed whisper.

He nodded. "Didn't you notice anything about the neighborhood I was living in?"

She shook her head, "I wasn't.. I wasn't really paying attention." Her hand was still clasped around his arm.

"Muggle neighborhood."

Frown. "Why?"

"So he can't find me."

"But, Draco.. the Dark Lord is gone. You know that."

He sighed softly. "Not from _him_." He hardly managed to force out his next sentence. "From... my father."

She frowned again. "What does any of this have to do with me, Draco?"

"I disgraced him, ran the family name through the mud. As far as he's concerned, the only way to save his family's dignity is by exterminating the bad seeds in it. If he knew how attached to you..."

"What?" she insisted.

"He'd do exactly what he's doing now to get to Harry."

"What do you mean?" she asked, growing worried.

"For Christ's sake, Ginny, he tried to poison you!"

"You broke up with me... to save me?"

Draco fell silent and turned to face the back of the couch, picking at its fabric.

Instead of touched or awed, she grew angry. "Why didn't you just tell me then? We could have worked together!"

_Worked together?_ Was she out of her ever-loving mind? "And how exactly would that have worked out, Ginny? When could we have met? You think he wouldn't notice us at Hogsmeade? Wouldn't have someone constantly intercepting our owls?"

"You at least could have explained it to me!" Tears began to storm down her ivory cheeks. "Instead you feed me this horrible lie that completely crushed me, Draco! I loved you so much.. I would have done anything for you," her voice quivered and she sucked in air in between her sobs, "I would have given my life for you!" She swallowed down more tears, "And I still do, and that's the worst part," she quietly added.

"Why do you think I did it?" he asked, still focusing on that one spot on the couch, though his picking was becoming more and more violent. "You were just as likely as Potter to do something drastic and completely stupid! I knew you'd give up on me if I broke your heart, and you _did."_

"Give up on yo-give.." she stopped and stood up and disappeared down the hallway. A few minutes later she reappeared with a packed shoebox in her hand. Ripping the top off of the shoebox she spilled its contents into Draco's lap. There were over a hundred letters addressed to Draco Malfoy dated all the way from her sixth year up until a few months ago. "Don't you fucking tell me I gave up on you."

He stared at the letters, then looked to her face, to the letters, back to her face. "What in the hell..."

"There are more.. I wrote you so many letters, Draco Malfoy.. I never gave up on you. You want to know why I haven't made a commitment with Gabriel? It's because every time I think about it, I see your face and I can't do it," she collapsed on the floor, drawing her knees up to her chin, wrapping her arm around her legs. She knew she looked like a pathetic little girl, crying over her broken heart, but she didn't care anymore. Not now. "I can't."

Draco carefully opened one of the letters, his eyes flitting across the page, a frown upon his face.

"What?" she asked, her voice shaky.

He set the letter down and reached for another without saying a word.

Lowering her head, she closed her eyes, her chin propped upon her arms as she waited for him to begin cursing her, yelling at her for being a pathetic fool, like Draco Malfoy would ever return to her? Another tear fell down her cheek and splattered against one of the letters by her feet.

The second letter was carefully set aside as Draco slid off the couch and down by her side on the floor. He lowered himself down so he was even with her gaze. "Do you know what I hate about you, Ginny?" he asked quietly.

Her sobs increased. "Everything?"

He shook his head and brushed a strand of her red hair behind her ear. He leaned closer to her, so his lips were hovering just above said ear. "You're so damned perfect."

Her brown eyes, which now more resembled large mud puddles, stared up at him, amazed. "What?" she whispered.

Draco carefully raised his hands to cup her face, wiping away her tears with his thumbs, before releasing just as gently. "You're perfect." he murmured once more.

She opened her mouth to respond, but simply buried her head into the crook of his shoulder and neck, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist, sniffling all the while.

Draco stared over her shoulder for a moment before slowly wrapping his arms around her, pulling the rest of her form closer to him. "Sh... No more crying."

After a few minutes, Ginny had calmed down and simply sat there, her head on his shoulder. Quietly, she interrupted the silence, "Did you ever... I mean.. did you ever think about me... after.. at all?"

"Do you think I would've gone through all the trouble to warn you if I didn't?"

She nodded slowly, raising her head to look him in the eyes. "So... were you lying to me when you said you didn't love me?"

"Do I really need to answer that question?" he asked softly.

Shaking her head, she quietly said, "I'd rather you tell me if you still do or not."

"I do." he murmured, stooping his head to press a kiss upon her neck. "I still do."

She closed her eyes, soaking in everything that was him, his kisses, and his words. Turning her head she gently intercepted his lips with her own, her hands reaching up to rake through his hair.

That kiss brought him back to his seventh year, dragging her through the hallway, pinning her against the wall, having the positions switched around with a wicked smirk upon her lips, knowing he'd not be able to simply let her walk back to her common room, taking her into an empty classroom... As the memory floated through his head, the kiss got more and more intense. The gentleness was gone, replaced by want, need. He'd been deprived of her for so long, so very, very long.

"Mmm.. Draco," she moaned beneath the assault of his lips, pressing her chest into his as she ached for him. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as she dropped her lips from his and slowly began placing kisses all along his collarbone, tickling along the sensitive flesh with her tongue.

So many unchristian thoughts were running through Draco's head as her mouth fell to his neck, though they all became one big blur as a groan escaped him, that tight feeling in his jeans starting up as it had when he'd seen her change. "Ginny.."

She stopped for a moment, looking up at him with heated eyes, her lips slightly swollen. "Yes?" she whispered, dipping her fingers up and down his spine.

Goosebumps sprang up upon his arms and legs at her touch. "If you don't... want to do... _this_." he struggled to say.

She answered him by kissing him once again, slowly and lingering, before bringing her lips to his ear, "Make love to me, Draco."

Oh, thank _God._

* * *

**As I said, this chapter is not for innocent eyes, so if you are the owner of such, please stop now. Kthnx.**

* * *

His hands moved to the bottom of her shirt, pulling it upward and over her head. He swallowed thickly as he stared at her exposed chest, resisting the urge to simply rip her bra off and attack her. "You," His eyes flitted to her face. "Are amazing."

A deep blush rooted itself at her toes and crept all the way to her cheeks as he gazed at her. She smiled shyly at him before timidly tugging at his own shirt, placing a kiss on the exposed skin as she slowly brought it over his head.

He shivered slightly as the article of clothing was removed, before capturing her lips once more, his hand trailing across her flat stomach up toward her chest. As if it were second nature to do so, his hand moved to cup her breast, fondling as he let out another groan. To think, a day prior and he'd have been shot for trying such a thing.

Arching into his hand, Ginny placed her own hands on his shoulders, pulling herself up onto her knees as she kissed along the fine muscles of his shoulders and chest, her hair tickling his neck and arms. Reaching behind herself, she unsnapped her bra and let it fall from her arms onto the floor. Her red hair glided uninterrupted along her delicate shoulders as she tenderly kissed the side of his neck.

As soon as her bra went off, his hands were back in action. His mouth soon replaced one however, carefully nipping and sucking. He had to be dreaming. Had to be.

"Oh, Dra-" she couldn't even finish. Moaning as his mouth and hands excellently pleasured her, she reached forward, digging her fingers into his muscled back as she arched into him.

That sound was going to drive him crazy, moaning his name like that. It was so... _erotic._ His free hand moved down to run along her inner thigh, not more than two inches from hem of her skirt, getting closer all the while.

She gasped as she felt his hand upon her leg, shivers coursing through her body, which currently felt like it was practically on fire. Drawing his mouth away from her breast, albeit reluctantly, she gently eased his back onto the floor, as she leaned above him, her right hand drawing lazy patterns over his stomach and chest, as her other hand dropped to begin unbuckling his pants.

Draco's hips rose off the ground to help her slide his pants down and off his legs. When he looked up, he couldn't help but notice those lovely breasts hanging right in front of his face. Grinning cheekily, he raised both hands to resume previous activities, stretching up a bit to kiss her once again.

Moaning into his mouth, she moved to straddle his hips, her skirt rising up to the junction between her thigh and abdomen. Tearing her lips from his, she slowly eased her tongue down to circle around his nipples, her fingers tickling along his sides. Unbelieving that she was actually this lucky to have Draco back once again, she slowly lifted her chocolate brown eyes to his.

He let out a loud groan, letting his hands fall down to rest upon her hips. His head lolled back, so that he could only barely see her from the bottom of his line of vision. Instead of saying something, he simply let his hands move downward a bit further, lifting the elastic of her panties, only to let it fall back down with a snap!

"Something like this." Pressing her chest against his, she leaned forward and agonizingly began to nibble softly on his ear lobe, licking at the sensitive span of skin below it before blowing on it erotically, causing chills along his skin.

His smile was replaced by a smirk as he resisted the groan so ready to come out. "You'll have to do better than that."

Shimmying down his body, she left searing kisses all over his neck and chest, lightly nibbling at his nipples before continuing down to his waistband, kissing at his navel as her hands slowly slid down stroking his erection through his boxers. "How's this?" she whispered in a raspy voice, looking up at him with hooded eyes.

That groan he'd been withholding so well before escaped with ease then. Blindly, he reached for the panties once more and gave them another snap_. More punishment. Oh, please more punishment._

Smirking devilishly, Ginny began to slowly slide his boxers down, licking at the exposed flesh of his pelvis. After kissing all along his inner thigh and lapping at the delicate skin, she reached up to give him a chaste kiss on the lips. "I'm done," and she rolled off of him. _There's your punishment._

Groaning in sexual frustration, he stared at her ceiling. Ginny may have been perfectly fine with not shagging someone senseless, but Draco certainly wasn't. If she was going to be difficult, he'd go to the Hog's Head and sneak that damned big-breasted woman into the back room.

"Ginny Molly Weasley, I'll give you ten seconds to come back over here. If you're not back, I am in no way responsible for my actions."

Squealing, she quickly stood up and covering her chest with her arms, ran down the hallway towards her bedroom, crawling beneath the covers, giggling.

"ONE!" he yelled, sitting up.

Giggle. Squeal.

"TWO!" he rose to his feet.

She dug herself deeper underneath the covers.

There was a loud trampling of footsteps before her door was flung open. "TEN." The covers were pulled back to reveal the bare-breasted girl. She had no time to flee, for Draco grabbed her and pinned her arms above her head.

Gasping as he captured her arms, she attempted not to giggle. "You cheated," she pouted.

"I said ten seconds, not that I'd count to ten." Smirk.

Grinning, she reached her lips up to his, affectionately kissing him as she caressed his hands, that currently held her captive, with her fingertips.

He released one hand to skillfully pull off those snappable panties, making sure to run his hand down along her leg as he did so.

She groaned as his fingers glided along her skin, taking advantage of her one free wrist to stroke along his cheek tenderly.

Tossing the garment aside, he slowly moved his hand back up to her inner thigh, caressing the soft, smooth skin beneath her rumpled skirt. "Mmm, I love you."

Kissing his forehead tenderly, she quietly whispered, "I love you," as she raised her hips for him to rid the skirt off of her body.

The skirt quickly followed the panties, leaving her naked beneath him. Naked. Beneath him. Just waiting for him to take her. He wouldn't keep her waiting long. He positioned himself between her legs and looked to her for approval, not sure that he could honestly stop himself if it wasn't there.

"What are you waiting for?" She quietly asked, her voice having dropped an octave as she gently nibbled at his lower lip.

He laughed softly, before changing her nibbling to a kiss and sliding into her.

Gasping as she felt him glide inside of her, she slowly leaned her head back and gave a guttural moan.

A similar noise escaped him as he placed his chin in the crook of her neck and slowly began thrusting inside her.

Digging her fingers into his back, she pressed her chest against his, rocking her hips in rhythm with his. Arching back, she let her head shift from left to right, left to right, restless movements as the pleasure became overwhelming.

"Ginny." he moaned, his sweat-covered body sliding against Ginny's. His Ginny. Not Gabriel's Ginny. Not Potter's Ginny. _His, _and he was claiming her once and for all.

"Draco.. Draco... Draco.." she whispered endearingly over and over, her lips touching his ear lobe.

His thrusts got faster and faster, listening to his name from her lips over and over, her strained breaths whisping across his ear.

Crying out his name as she reached her climax, she shuddered with pleasure as her tingling fingertips tickled up and down his back. White-hot heat coursed through her veins as her pulse slowed. "I love you," she said, her voice nearly inaudible as she cried softly into his shoulder.

As Ginny climaxed, Draco soon followed, spilling his seed into her with a throaty groan. For a moment, he simply caught his breath before feeling her salty tears trickle down his shoulder. Eyes wide, he pulled her off of him and looked at her, concerned. "Gin? What's wrong?"

"Absolutely nothing," she smiled at him, small droplets falling into the dimples of her cheeks. "Everything's perfect. I've just.. missed you so much," she kissed his cheek fondly.

He sighed and wiped the tears from her cheeks, before grinning cheekily. "Maybe you should miss me more often."

Growing serious for a moment, she simply replied, "No, I shouldn't need to," as she nuzzled his neck tenderly.

He laughed, playing with a few random strands of hair. "I wouldn't mind doing this for no good reason, either."

"Or any reason for that matter." Grin.

Another chuckle. "I don't remember you being so horny."

"It's not.. _horny,"_ she cringed. "It's.. simply enjoying the man I love."

"Whatever you say."

Pout.

Laugh.

She hit him playfully in his arm with the palm of her hand before slowly enclosing her hand over his muscle with a flicker of lust in her eyes as she reached up to gently lick at his neck.

"Mmm... you are _so _horny." he teased.

She immediately stopped and laid her head back down on the pillow, glaring up at him.

"Aw, did that hurt your feelings?" Smirk.

Squirming out from beneath him, she turned onto her side, her back facing him, frown in place across her red lips.

"Poor, poor Ginny." he murmured, running his hand down her side. "I'm so mean to you."

She nodded slowly, resisting the urge to turn around in his arms and let him continue with his hands.

His hand moved back up her side to her shoulder, squeezing it gently. "What did little Ginny ever do to deserve such horrible," The hand moved down to the small of her back and back up again. "Treatment."

Glaring at him over her shoulder, she answered stubbornly, "Absolutely nothing." She ignored the tingles in her skin, albeit difficultly.

He pressed a soft kiss to the back of her shoulder. "Poor baby."

"I know." Sniffle.

"Mmm..." His hand moved over her shoulder, hovering tantalizingly close to her breast. "You shouldn't let me treat you so badly."

She moved her shoulder to block his arm, "You're absolutely right." And she sat up from the bed and disappeared into the bathroom with a smirk.

He grinned and set about to removing her sheets from the bed. They'd certainly be needing a washing.

"I'm taking a shower," she called from the bathroom as the water began to run.

He rolled the linen into a ball and tossed it on the floor, eyeing the closed bathroom door. He could... though she'd probably just be evil, and there was a perfectly usable one downstairs. He did have _some_ dignity, you know. "Alright." he called back, tracking down his boxers and slipping them on. He quietly headed out of her room and down the hall, ruffling his sweaty hair. He'd almost made it to the bathroom when there was a knock at the door, a loud impatient one.

"Ginny!" Eyes wide, the blonde looked over his shoulder at the front door. All he could make out were three red blotches of what had to be Weasley hair through the glass before quickly turning back around. Shit.

"Gabriel! Is that you? Let us in!" Male voices. Oh fuck it all. Ron and the twins? "Gabriel!"

Draco decided to do the only thing he could think of then. He bolted into the bathroom and locked the door. Ginny could tell them.

Growing impatient, George used his key and slowly opened the door. "Uh.. Ginny..?" He called out cautiously as Fred and Ron passed by him with confusion.

"I guess she's not home," Ron assumed, shrugging his shoulders as he grabbed a banana out of the kitchen and began peeling it.

Tripping over a brown shoe, Fred looked down to see two sets of clothes in the middle of the living room floor. "That's... odd..." he said uncomfortably.

"Ewsheshmahshischer," Ron began, then swallowing his first bite he clarified, "Ew. Ginny. Sister. Don't want to know."

Humming pleasantly, Ginny stepped from the shower, a towel wrapped around her waist as she left the bathroom to see if perhaps Draco wished to join her after all. "Draco?" she called as she walked down the hallway of her apartment. "Dra-" she stopped in mid-sentence as three redheads stared back at her with open mouths.

"Did you just--"

"She did, Ron." Fred replied.

"Draco..." Ron stumbled.

"As in Malfoy." George finished, and all three turned to stare at her once again.

Shifty eyes. Now what? "What are you three doing here, anyway?" she demanded, growing defensive.

"Busting you." George replied, earning a death glare from Ron.

Glare. "I gave you that key for emergencies only." With a menacing face, she walked across the living room to open the door, "Seeing as there isn't one, you are free to leave. Now."

Figuring that was his cue, Draco slowly emerged from the bathroom in just his boxers, flinching as the three all turned to look at him. "Er... hi."

He received a glare from all four Weasleys. "Thank you for making an appearance," Ginny finally broke the silence as she arched a brow at him before turning to her brothers. "GO!"

"You're going to tell me that," Ron flailed in Draco's general direction. "Isn't an emergency!"

She tapped her foot impatiently. "Absolutely not."

Draco glanced between the three boys uncomfortably. "Uh... Well. I'll just go take a shower then." That said, he calmly headed back toward the bathroom he'd just come out of.

As he walked away, Ginny glared at his retreating back. _Wimp._ Making her explain all by herself. Oh, he would pay later. And it would not be an enjoyable punishment. No sirree.

"You three can leave now," she demanded, pulling the front door open wider as she made a sweeping gesture towards the outdoors.

"We're telling _mum,"_ the twins said together in a singsong voice before apparating. Ron simply glared at her, obviously upset, before doing the same.

With an eye roll, she threw the front door shut, expecting a howler within the next few minutes from her mother. Walking over towards the bathroom, and without a courtesy knock, she simply pitched the door open as she stepped onto the tiled floor. "Thanks for leaving me hanging," she puffed a strand of red hair from her lip with frustration.

Draco glanced over at her, having just stepped into the hot water. "Well, the less time they spent glaring at me, the more they spent actually listening to you talk."

Was he nak-? Look away, Gin. Look away. She fiddled with a towel by the sink. "I see." Gulp.

As if she hadn't shagged him a few minutes ago. Very naked. "Are you alright?" he asked, poking his head out to get a better look at her. His blonde hair was plastered to his head. "You look... flustered. Did they really shake you up that much?"

"No." Pretty tiled floor. Very pretty.

"...No?" he asked, brows furrowing. "Then why're you staring at the floor and refusing to look at me?"

"I'm not refusing to look at you!" She defended herself as she glanced at him before turning to straighten her toothbrush in the toothbrush holder.

Blink. "...Heh. You're shy, aren't you?"

"Am not!" She turned to stare at a spot on the wall just above his shoulder. "See?"

"Are so." Grin.

She took a daring step forward. "Am. Not."

"Sure, sure." His head disappeared inside the shower as he reached for her shampoo.

"Hey, that's my good shampoo!" she reached in to grab it from him.

But he jerked his hand away. Was she really this easy to manipulate? He hadn't remembered her being so. Perhaps people change. "You can share."

"Because you're so good at doing that." Glare.

"I shared my food with you. And my clothes." he pointed out.

"Oh, yeah," she smiled lightly, remembering his generosity. "Want to share something else?"

Brow raise. Was that suggestive, or was it just him? "Yes... your shampoo."

With a smirk upon her lips she began to slowly lift the over-sized t-shirt from her thighs and waist. "I wasn't talking about the shampoo."

Draco's eyes widened slightly. "...Oh... The soap then?"

She shook her head sweetly as she dropped the shirt to the floor.

"You could always... tell me."

"Or I could..." she stepped into the shower, running water trickling down her body as she began to lightly nip and lick at his neck. "Show you."

His head tilted to one side. "Yeah, you could do that, too..."

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End Chapter 6.


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